Ho Chi Minh City Tightens Food Safety Regulations to Protect 14 Million Residents

On August 19, a supervisory delegation from the Standing Committee of the HCMC People's Council, led by Vice Chairman Huynh Thanh Nhan, conducted an evaluation of food safety management efforts by the HCMC People's Committee and the Department of Food Safety. The core objective is to safeguard the health of over 14 million residents against risks spanning from wholesale markets and collective kitchens to 'cloud kitchens'.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy Head of the Cultural and Social Affairs Committee of the HCMC People's Council, stated that the delegation reviewed 87 reports from local authorities and industrial zones. The assessment identified five major challenges, most notably the strain on local management following administrative re-structuring and a lack of specialized food safety personnel. Many units are calling for increased staffing and technical equipment to ensure effective field inspections.

Inconsistencies in administrative decentralization and penalty procedures are complicating the regulation of street food and vendors. The delegation has urged the HCMC People's Committee to expedite the creation of a unified database, strengthen oversight of slaughterhouses, and clarify technical standards at the city's three major wholesale markets.

Vice Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong affirmed that the city would strictly handle sub-standard food products to prevent them from entering the market. In particular, Mr. Cao Thanh Binh, Head of the Cultural and Social Affairs Committee, emphasized the need for stricter control in areas surrounding wholesale markets like Hoc Mon, where hundreds of spontaneous retail points operate alongside formal vendors.

Concluding the meeting, Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan requested that the Department of Food Safety advise central authorities to resolve overlapping administrative jurisdictions between the health, agriculture, and industry sectors. He also highlighted the critical need to regulate 'cloud kitchens'—a rapidly growing segment of online food business—to ensure no regulatory gaps remain.

According to Dr. Le Minh Hai, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Food Safety, between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, the city recorded 19 incidents of food poisoning. The department is currently intensifying oversight of over 13,000 food service establishments, utilizing the TE.FOOD traceability system and QR codes at wholesale markets to enhance transparency and ensure the safety of the food supply chain.